When we go through an old box or album of pictures they can give us reason to laugh or sigh, and even feel a little sad. We get the most out of these pictures when they are of us or were taken by us. We know the background and story that the picture represents. The picture helps to capture the moment so we can recall the events that were taking place all around while the photograph was taken. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but sometimes we have to tell its story.

The above picture was taken at a Valentine semi-formal dance at my girlfriend Sandy’s (now my long time wife) high school in Beekmantown, New York. It was what we called a semi-formal dance. I know it was a semi-formal because I am wearing a coat and tie and Sandy is wearing a dress. The area high schools held many dances throughout the year. It was not uncommon that if two schools had an athletic contest, the school that was not hosting the athletic event would host a dance. Students and athletes from both schools would attend the dance. The cost to get into the dance was nominal, and the music was always a live band. Most of the bands were high school students who had gotten together and formed a group. We also had bands from students from the local colleges and from people who did it part time from their regular jobs. Below is news clipping from a 1967 Plattsburgh Press-Republican news article, about a newly formed band.

News article about just one of the many area bands.

It was at a school dance Where I met my wife. We did not go to the same high school as she went to Beekmantown High School and I went to Plattsburgh High School. We were to meet at a dance at a third school called Mount Assumption Institute (MAI). The night we meet I had no intention of going to the dance. I was at home watching television when a good friend came knocking on my door. He had a major crush on a girl at school and he wanted to go to the dance being held at MAI to try and meet up with her. I will admit it took some effort to talk me into going, as the last thing I wanted to do was go out that night. We walked to the dance where he went off to find the girl of his dreams (he had no luck) and I was thinking I would just go home. That’s when a girl who had her school locker next to mine came up and said she had someone she wanted me to meet. That’s when she introduced me to her cousin Sandy. She was cute with freckles and red hair and while I did not know it then I had found my dance partner.

Below is MAI the school where I met my wife. The school closed down a few years ago but has been remodeled into apartments. Funny I can still hear the music.

Wow! What a wonderful Valentine’s story, not fiction, but real and true! When I look at the date of the faded picture, it seems to me that the romantic events almost coincide time-wise with ours (my wife’s and mine) as described in my blog klopp-family.com.

Different and simpler times, slower paced and in my opinion, Moore enjoyable. Thank you for sharing the moment, it’s a keeper for sure.
I went to a dance of a different kind that Valentine’s Day but my dance partner was Uncle Sam, I joined the Army exactly fifty years ago today.

Oh, Charles–you moved me to tears (and yes, I am a sentimental fool). High school honeys still together after all these years—how many people can say that? (I met my dance partner at a summer camp when we were in college.) Happy Valentine’s Day!

The genealogist in me says to be sure to paste a copy of this post on the back of this photo. I have a number of lovely photos with no idea who the people are. Great story and very dapper looking kids.

Those dances were so much fun. It was a great way to see friends and hang out. The music was nice and of course having a boy or girl friend or the hope of meeting a special someone added to the mix. I guess they do not have these dances anymore. I also recall the YMCA had a dance almost every Saturday night. Good times for sure.